Husky's Full Stainless Automated(partial) BIAB RIMS Brewery

[husky]

Just as I was planning to ramp up brewing for summer I have busted my shoulder.....
While I'm laid up at home I have put some time into working out how to finish my fermenter project and doing some pressure testing. I had it made years ago but never finished it off or tested it. So far have pressure tested to 1.5BAR and it holds pretty good with a very slow leak to 1 BAR over a week which I still need to find.
Plan is to:
Steam sterilise @ 1 BAR by adding a 2000w heater in one of the top 4" tri ports
Weld a gas and liquid post to a blank cap and replace when sterilising complete
Fully sealed system using vacuum transfer from kettle into liquid post with a gas purge first
Pressure ferment in fridge
Add a yeast harvester @ bottom
Attempt to serve straight out of the fermenter(who knows, might be ok?)

 

[Mardoo]

What are you using as a vacuum pump?

 

[husky]

Just my hops vacuum sealer($90 Aldi job). It's really only to pull liguid out of the kettle and into ferm, wasn't planning to pull full vacuum the fermenter although may try at some stage since the sight glass is full vacuum rated and the fermenter is small and 2mm so may handle it.

 

[husky]

Life sucks a bit at the moment as I haven't had any time to play with the brewery. Have done a few brews on this system now and I really enjoy using it.

Some updates most of which have been sitting in the shed waiting for time to install:
- Purchased a new bigger 6" HMI panelview which I was going to install but now thinking of saving for another project. Will install anyway at some stage to see if it's much better.

- Set up a cooling water pre chiller. Basically an ice tank that will circulate chilled water through a heat exchanger to pre chill the tap water going to the cooling jacket. Should be good for summer lagers and speeding up ale pitch temps. Attached a vid of just the recirc, tank will be filled with ice and the other heat exchanger ends run inline with tap water supply.

- Turned my fermenter into a boiler! Actually just testing the new steam sterilise system and it worked a treat. Added 3L water and managed to get 110 deg C sterilise at just over 20kPa pressure in 10ish minutes. Have compressed air tested to 2 BAR previously. Given the weight of the fermenter I wanted to heat sterilise instead of chemical as it is impossible to shake around like the plastic version. The heater gets inserted for the sterilise and then replaced with a polycarbonate ferrule lens to be able to view the ferment after sterilise. Looking forward to using this. Fermenter is 2mm 316 stainless so the small pressure at those temps is fine. Attached a vid below showing the pressure and temp increase and then the relief of the built up steam. Kind of makes me want to build a small steam boiler for the brewery!

















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[droid]

I am in awe !

 

[husky]

The new HMI what will go in at some stage. Much better size!

 

[Mardoo]

You are a sick and twisted man, something I like in a guy.

 

[Glomp]

He is obviously over compensating for having small genitals. He makes the rest of us look like we have chronic brewers droop.

Husky has set the standard that most of us just look on with envy and despair.

Brilliant work husky.

 

[husky]

He is obviously over compensating for having small genitals....

Possible!

The only reason for putting this up on the web is hoping that others will have a crack at something similar. It's not that difficult, just takes time and $$(shitloads of both). I would be happy to supply drawings, PLC program and a demo for anyone serious about getting something similar made. It's a lot for such a small volume so even if someone wants a bigger version I may be able to detail something up.